This bill amends and reenacts several sections of Louisiana's Revised Statutes concerning the Early Childhood Care and Education Commission, while also repealing the existing Advisory Council on Early Childhood Care and Education. The legislation consolidates the functions of the commission and the advisory council to improve alignment and efficiency in early childhood education. It modifies the commission's membership structure by reducing the number of members and specifying new appointments from various organizations and agencies involved in early childhood education. Additionally, the bill introduces nonvoting ex officio members to provide advice and contribute to discussions.

The bill outlines the commission's responsibilities, which include developing a statewide vision for early childhood care and education, analyzing data on availability and quality, and identifying collaboration opportunities among programs and agencies. It mandates that the state Department of Education consult with the commission before adopting any rules related to early learning centers and requires quarterly meetings of the commission. The commission is designated as the State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care, aligning it with federal guidelines, and is tasked with providing annual reports to the governor and legislature. The bill also repeals a previous statute (R.S. 17:407.51) and ensures that ongoing actions related to early childhood education continue under the new provisions.

Statutes affected:
HB1146 Original: 17:101(C)(1)
HB1146 Engrossed: 17:101(C)(1)
HB1146 Reengrossed: 17:101(C)
HB1146 Enrolled: 17:101(C)
HB1146 Act 580: 17:101(C)